‘Play tough teams now’ – Adeshina tells Eagles

•Venezuela’s Agnel Flores (left) battles for the ball with Nigeria’s Igiebor Nosa during an international friendly match in Miami, US, on Thursday morning

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Ademola Adeshina, wants coach Stephen Keshi to start playing with the team going to the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa. He speaks with OLUFEMI ATOYEBI

The Super Eagles on Thursday morning beat Venezuela 3-1 in a friendly match played in Miami, US.

Goals from Brown Ideye of Dynamo Kyev, Real Betis striker Nosa Igiebor and Lazio youngster, Onazi Ogeyi, made the Eagles look great in Miami, but former Nigeria international Ademola Adeshina, says he is not overly impressed.

Adeshina says the victory will no doubt play a positive role in Nigeria’s preparation towards the 2013 Africa Nations Cup in South Africa, but the scoreline is unrealistic.

“It was a good match for us because we won, but the victory is flattering,” he says.

“We still have a few problems that a good team would have exploited, especially at the back. Venezuela actually scored two goals that were disallowed. I think the result would be fair if it had ended in a draw. Austin Ejide did well to make the score highly respectable. You cannot take away the fact that many chances were created by both sides so a big score draw would have been realistic.”

Adeshina points out that the Eagles lack the calmness to control possession, adding that it’s a major defect that could work against Nigeria at the Nations Cup.

“We still have problems holding the ball in the defence and showing the confidence in attack. We should not rely on the opponents’ mistake before scoring our goals. If we play a team that means business, we could pay for the errors noticed in that game.”

The former midfielder warns the Eagles not to rely on individual skills as it could have a negative effect.

“We still need more friendly matches to create a synergy in our attack. Every player must play for the team, individual brilliance is a great asset but team work pays. I watched the Sweden/England team on Wednesday where Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four goals to help Sweden win 4-2.

“That is a result of individual brilliance and the team was probably built around him. That is an exceptional player that we don’t currently have. We need to play as a team in South Africa.”

Nonetheless, Adeshina praises the team for beating their opponents, calling on coach Stephen Keshi to start using his Nations Cup team.

“We are close to getting ready for the Nations Cup. This victory will no doubt give us the belief and hope that we can stand up and face the best in Africa. However, we are far from perfection.

“The team that beat Liberia 6-1 last month was a different team from the one that won 3-1 against Venezuela, but it does not help us. We don’t have all the time again. With just two months to the Nations Cup, we should be playing with the real team that will play at the Nations Cup, not different team all the time.

“If we have another match soon, Keshi should use the real team so that he can blend them in time for the competition.”

Obafemi Martins, who made a return to the team, did not score in the 3-1 win but he created enough chances and utilised his pace. Adeshina says the importance of the Levante of Spain striker in the team goes beyond scoring goals.

“Martins did not score but he played with the team. He is a mature player now so he is showing us that he is ready to sacrifice his own good for the good of the whole team. He has pace and understanding of the team so he will not be redundant if involved in the Nations Cup.”

The former Shooting Stars and Abiola Babes player will like Nigeria to start playing tougher matches, making a case for home-based players.

“Venezuela is a rich South American nation, rich in the sense that they have fantastic football culture, but they don’t belong to the ranks of top teams.

“I respect them but Nigeria will gain better playing stronger side now. We are not afraid of playing big teams and if I were to pick our next opponents, I will go to Europe and play their top nations.

“Teams like Sweden, Holland, Germany and Italy don’t want to lose, they play till the end. So I think we should move several steps up and play bigger teams.

“Our home-based surely have places in the team. I was playing in Nigeria when I won a place in the Eagles team. Okey Isima and Sylvanus Okpala were playing abroad but the coach preferred playing me to them. I am not condemning using foreign-based players but they cannot just walk in and claim the slots,” he says.

Nigeria had only 2 proffesional players then, No any choice than to choose virtually all the home based. Later Tunji Banjo & John chidodie, who british born nigerian joined.

WILLARD MUBVUMBI

I really concur with the former player. Play friendlies with tough teams now. I love super eagles and wish them good luck in AFCON.

j. bathlomew

we never deserve to win that match that was why our keeper was adjudged MOM.

Temilolusola

But people, Goodluck is not enough to win laurels especially at events like Ntions cup. We need tough preparations deliberately planned and consciously executed like this formal INT’L has well laid out. In all honesty I do not agree with Keshi still experimenting with different players 2 Months to a competitions like AFCON.

bayo

It is not impossible for the Eagles to win the Nations cup as the players are there to select a good team to rattle other contenders when the chips are down. The technical ability of the big boss to now sit down with his crew to pick the best players paying less attention to household names, but attention to our leaky defence and able and agile men in the middle that can link up with the defence and our talented strikers. Please note that Mikel may not necessarily be the best choice in the middle because of his slow response, though good at distributing passes, otherwise the problem presently bedeviling Chelsea may work against us in AFCON, 2013. We need strong and young men though with experience to prosecute AFCON.

John Beloved Taderi

As God have put back the spirit of victory upon new Nigeria team,i wish them more victory ahead.Go ahead and be a conqueror.